


The Day the World Ended

by insomniacwriter17



Series: This New World We're Living In [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Minor Character Death, apocalypse au, end of the world AU, zombie apocalypse AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 04:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7344892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insomniacwriter17/pseuds/insomniacwriter17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Reports state that people are experiencing incredibly high fevers, intense pain all over the body, and a state of delirium. Government officials have issued a warning: if you feel ill, seek medical attention immediately. If you do not feel ill, stay inside if at all possible and make sure to wash your hands often.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ashton

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! After a few years of writing on Tumblr, I've decided to bridge the gap and start writing here as well. 
> 
> I'm a sucker for Apocalypse!AU sorts of things, so I really am looking forward to sharing this with you guys. If you want to talk about this, or have any questions, feel free to check out my other social medias: 
> 
> Twitter: lukealmightty  
> Tumblr: hemmingsalmightty
> 
> xx enjoy!

“Ashton, come on! We’re going to be late!” Lauren stomped her foot and glared up the stairs, waiting impatiently for her brother. “Harry’s footie game is starting in like ten minutes!”

“I’m coming! Hold on. I’ve just got to find my phone,” Ashton called back, finally spotting his red phone case sticking out from underneath his pillow. The twenty-one year old grabbed it and shut off his bedroom light, slamming his bedroom door and coming downstairs as quick as he could manage. “Car keys?” he guessed, and Lauren tossed them at him.

“Mom’s texting asking where we are,” Lauren added as the two of them jumped into Ashton’s beat up truck.

“Tell her we’re on the way,” Ashton replied as he started the car. He and Lauren both jumped as the radio boomed loudly with a bass-laden song, and Ashton scrambled to turn it down. “Sorry! Sorry, didn’t realize that was up so loud.”

“Good grief, Ashton, were you supplying the music for the whole highway?” Lauren laughed.

“Oh hush. You know how I am, Lauren,” Ashton replied before backing out of the driveway and heading toward the sports complex. As they drove, the emergency broadcast system cut into the song, and Ashton winced before turning the radio down further. “Everyone needs to chill about this flu thing going around.”

“You’re not afraid of it?” Lauren asked, and Ashton glanced over, shrugging.

“We all got our shots. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. We’re going to be fine, Lauren,” he promised. She huffed and sat back in her seat. “What? Don’t trust me?”

“I trust you,” she replied. “I just know that my friend wasn’t feeling too great a couple days ago and I hope she’s not getting whatever this is,” Lauren waved listlessly at the radio. Ashton chuckled softly, reaching out to pat the fourteen year-old’s knee.

“Don’t worry,” he repeated. A couple minutes later the duo pulled up into the parking lot of the complex, and Ashton frowned. “Are we sure there’s a game today? There’s like zero cars here,” Ashton looked at the clock. “There’s usually like four going on right now.”

“I don’t know, but Mom said that Harry’s game has already started so we should go,” Lauren replied, jumping from the car. Ashton followed suit and the two of them made their way to the field. It wasn’t hard to find their mother, considering there was only about three other people in the stands.

“Where is everyone?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure a lot of people are afraid of getting out with this flu going around,” Anne replied, hugging Ashton, then Lauren as they moved to sit down. “They barely had enough people to make the number needed to play.”

“Did no one get their flu shot?” Ashton wondered, and Anne shrugged.

“I heard it was a strain of the virus that the shot isn’t made to combat,” she told her son, who frowned and nodded.

“Weird,” Ashton mumbled.

“Told you,” Lauren mumbled, and Ashton shoved her shoulder playfully.

“Shut up, kid,” he told her fondly. “Just relax, I’m sure it’s all fine. We’ll all be fine.” Then he cheered loudly as Harry scored a goal. Though the nagging worry of this flu itched at the back of Ashton’s mind, the sun was shining, Harry would get a lot of playing time today, and Ashton was here with his family. Everything was good.

~*~*~

“Congrats, Harry!” Ashton shouted as the sweaty eleven year old came running up to his family following the game. “You played so well,” he commented, high fiving his brother.

“Thanks, Ash,” he blushed a bit. “The coach said he’s glad that we had just enough people to play,” he said excitedly. “Because he got to see me play more and now he said he’ll play me more even if more people are here!”

“That’s great, love!” Anne replied, standing and grabbing her bag. “Shall we go get some lunch before we head home?” she wondered. “Winner’s choice!”

“Awesome!” Harry laughed. “I want to ride with Ashton!” he exclaimed, standing close to his brother.

“Sounds good,” Anne smiled. “Then you lead the way,” she told Ashton before putting a hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “We’ll catch up to them.” Ashton nodded and waved to the girls before wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulder and leading him to the parking lot.

The family ended up at Pizza Hut, talking and laughing over a pizza and sodas. Ashton pointedly ignored the news on the TV above their heads, and it was obvious Anne was trying hard to keep the younger kids from noticing it, too. Once the meal was over, Anne suggested they all head home. “I know you’ve got homework, Harry,” she said when the other tried to argue. “And Lauren, didn’t you need to get some stuff put together for a presentation?”

“Yeah,” she huffed. “There’s rumors that they’re going to close school because of the illness though,” Lauren supplied with a hopeful tone of voice.

“Nice try, but you will be prepared. If you’re not giving a presentation in class, you’ll be giving it to your brothers and myself,” Anne retorted, and Lauren groaned, slumping her shoulders.

“Fine.” Pouty lips still firmly in place, Lauren stood with the rest of the family and they headed home. Ashton convinced Harry to take a shower once they got inside, and Lauren had disappeared soon after coming through the door. That left Ashton to sit in the living room with his mother, who was watching the news intently.

“Are you worried about this too?” Ashton wondered, beginning to debate whether this was something he needed to be concerned with.

“Not really, but I’m starting to wonder if my sore throat and achiness is psychosomatic,” Anne frowned, looking to Ashton. “I might run over to the clinic just to get checked out.” Ashton frowned and scooted down the couch, closer to his mother.

“Why didn’t you say you weren’t feeling well, Mom?” he asked, and she waved her son away dismissively.

“Because you’d worry,” she smiled kindly. “This is nothing to worry about, I’m sure it’s just a cold. Can you hold down the fort while I’m gone?” she requested. Ashton nodded, but worried his lip between his teeth.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come along? I can drive you,” he offered. “Lauren can look after herself and Harry.” Anne contemplated that for a moment, but another glance at the television had her shaking her head.

“No, love, that’s fine,” she smiled, pressing a hand to Ashton’s cheek. “You stay here with them and I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”

“Alright,” Ashton said uneasily. “Good luck.” Anne just smiled over her shoulder at Ashton and waved as she grabbed her keys. “Love you,” Ashton added at the last second.

“I love you too, sweet boy,” she responded before shutting the door behind her. Ashton turned back to the television, eyebrows furrowed in concern. Maybe this was bigger than he imagined.

~*~*~

Hours had ticked by since his mother had left, and Ashton wasn’t feeling any less worried about the ongoing coverage of the illness sweeping the area. “Reports state that people are experiencing incredibly high fevers, intense pain all over the body, and a state of delirium. Government officials have issued a warning: if you feel ill, seek medical attention immediately. If you do not feel ill, stay inside if at all possible and make sure to wash your hands often.” All of the reports were almost exactly the same, and Ashton’s stomach was growing heavier and heavier with worry with every passing moment.

 _Any update yet?_ He texted his mother. _I’m going to start dinner for the kids here soon._

_On my way home_ _J Then I have to run out for meds._

Ashton felt relief flood his system. The news reports said there was no medication for the odd illness everyone was noticing, so the fact that his mom had a prescription made him feel better. Standing, Ashton headed into the kitchen to scrounge through the pantry. They didn’t have much, he realized, and made a mental note to go out to the store tomorrow. However, he pulled out enough to make spaghetti and a salad, and set to work preparing the meal as the news played in the background.

“Ashton?” Harry’s voice broke through the young adult’s thoughts, and he turned around, facing his little brother, eyes widening when he saw that his brother was watching the TV with wide eyes.

“Turn that off!” Ashton insisted, scrambling for the remote. He turned the news station off and knelt in front of Harry. “Listen to me. Everything’s okay.” The young boy’s eyes were filled with fear and Ashton wished he could take it all away.

“Are we going to get sick?” Harry asked quietly, and Ashton shook his head harshly.

“No, Harry, we’re all going to be okay,” he repeated. “I promise you,” he insisted.

“That’s a big promise,” Harry frowned, hands tangling in the hem of his shirt.

“I’m a big guy,” Ashton whispered. “I can keep big promises.” Just then the front door opened and Ashton stood, keeping Harry pressed in front of him. “Come on, let’s go say hi to Mom.” He squeezed Harry’s shoulders and led the younger to the front room, where Ashton stopped in his tracks. “Mom?”

“Mommy?” Harry whimpered. Anne glanced up, eyes glassy. Her skin had lost all color and she looked so tired. She moved to shove a Kleenex in her pocket, but Ashton saw it before it disappeared. And he saw blood. That’s when he knew.

Whatever this was, his mom had it too. He locked eyes with his mom and she swallowed thickly, but she smiled for Harry. “Hey there, lovely little one,” she smiled hoarsely. “Mommy’s just got a cold. The doctor prescribed me some medicine and I’ll go pick it up and I’ll be good as new.”

“Good,” Harry sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I thought you were sick like the people on TV.” Ashton squeezed Harry’s shoulders reassuringly before moving to stand closer to his mom, but she held up her hand.

“I don’t want you guys catching this,” she said seriously, and Ashton stepped away, stomach falling. “You guys get washed up for dinner,” she smiled. “I’m going to grab the insurance card from my desk and then I’ll join you.” Anne’s voice was weak, but Ashton nodded.

“I’ll follow you upstairs, get Lauren,” he stated, patting Harry’s cheek. “If you’ll set the table.”

“Got it!” Harry chirped, racing from the room. Anne headed toward the stairs, going into her office, and Ashton followed. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, biting his lip once more.

“You’re sick, aren’t you?” Ashton accused his voice cracking. “You don’t have a cold.”

“I don’t have a cold,” Anne echoed, looking to the floor as she sighed. “They have a room for me in the hospital. To monitor me, keep the symptoms down while they try to find the antidote.”

“Well, how did you catch it?” Ashton didn’t realize he was crying, but suddenly there were tears streaming down his face.

“I don’t know, sweetie. Which is why I have to go. If I haven’t already gotten you or the younger ones sick, I don’t want to risk you guys catching it,” Anne’s voice was soft and quiet, almost like she was reading a bedtime story. But that was definitely not what this was.

“What do we do?” Ashton fretted, hands coming to tangle in his hair. “I don’t know what to do. What do I tell them? I can’t take care of them!”

“Ashton, I’ve seen what it’s like deeper in town,” Anne said slowly. “It’s going to get worse.”

Ashton’s eyes squeezed shut and his shoulders wracked with a sob he tried to choke down. “That doesn’t help.”

“I know. But I need you to listen to me, baby,” Anne insisted, snapping her fingers before she turned her head and coughed weakly into her elbow. When she pulled away, there was more blood. “You’re going to stay here with them. You’re going to make sure they’re okay. And if things go bad – if _anything_ goes bad – you leave.”

“Mom!” Ashton exclaimed. “We aren’t leaving you.”

“Ashton, you will leave. You’ll have your phone and I’ll have mine. If I get better, I’ll find you.”

“I-if?” Ashton’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Did you say if?”

“I said if,” Anne nodded solemnly. “Baby boy, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ashton took a couple deep breaths. “This isn’t your fault,” he repeated, more for his benefit than his mother’s. He met eyes with her and then nodded. “I’ll take care of them,” he promised.

“I know you will. And you’ll be great,” she smiled. “Let’s go downstairs.”

“I’ll grab Lauren,” Ashton sniffled, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “Mom?”

“Yes, Ashton?” Anne replied gently.

“I love you,” Ashton’s voice cracked again.

“I love you more than anything on this Earth,” Anne smiled gently, reaching toward him then recoiling her hand after a moment. “That’s why I’m doing this.”

“I know,” Ashton nodded once. “I know it.” Then he turned and walked down the hall, knocking quietly on Lauren’s door. “Hey, kid, dinner’s ready,” he called through the door as cheerfully as he could manage.

“Okay! Be down soon!” she chirped. Ashton dropped his head against the door for a moment, shaking his head. This had to be a nightmare.

~*~*~

Ashton was quiet through dinner, but Anne talked enough for the both of them. Her voice was weak and she didn’t eat much, but she talked to Harry and Lauren enough that the two of them had relaxed. Ashton offered to clear the dishes as soon as everyone was done, and by the time he returned, the air in the room was heavy.

“But I thought you had to just get medicine, then you could come home,” Harry whimpered. Ashton frowned and came to sit next to him, not missing the fact that Harry moved the slightest bit closer to him.

“I know, baby boy, then the doctor called and they want to keep me for a few days to make sure I’m alright,” Anne smiled. “Everything’s alright.”

“You don’t have the flu thing, do you?” Lauren interjected. “Because that doesn’t have a cure!”

“What?!” Harry shrieked. “Mommy, no!”

“Guys, guys, calm down,” Anne insisted, stopping and rubbing her temples for a moment. “I don’t have whatever it is the TV is talking about. This is just the regular flu. I’m going to go for a few days, and then I’ll be all better and I’ll come home and we’ll play Monopoly and eat ice cream,” she promised. Ashton bit the inside of his lip, listening and trying his hardest not to cry, because somehow he knew that just wasn’t true.

“You promise?” Harry’s voice wavered.

“I promise,” Anne replied. Ashton shut his eyes and sighed. Poor Harry would never make another promise after today. Not at this rate. But he opened his eyes and smiled reassuringly at both siblings.

“I’ll be here to watch over you,” Ashton promised, resting a hand on Harry’s back. “It’s going to be fine,” he told them both.

“C-Can I sleep with you tonight, Ash?” Harry whispered, and Ashton smiled and nodded.

“That sounds like a great idea.” Then he looked up at Anne, who stood reluctantly.

“I’m going to go now, babies,” she told the group, fighting back tears. “I love you three very very very much and I want you to know that. Even though I’ll be away for awhile, I’m always going to be with you,” she said gently. Harry began to cry then, and he curled up in Ashton’s lap, the older’s arms wrapping around him comfortingly. Lauren sat stonily still, eyes welling with tears of her own that she refused to let fall. “You mind Ashton, you understand me?” Anne requested, voice wavering. “He’s going to take great care of you until I come back.”

“Okay, Mom,” Lauren nodded, swiping at her cheeks to wipe the tears away. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Lauren. Harry, can you look at me?” Anne wiped away her own tears, and Ashton had to nudge Harry until the boy looked up. “Ashton and Lauren are right here and I’ll come back as soon as I can,” she promised. “You just remember that I love you more than you love footie and I’m always going to come back for you. Do you understand?” Harry looked away and nodded quietly, and then Anne nodded to Ashton.

“I love you, my big man. You’re so great and I love you to the ends of this earth,” she whispered gently. “I trust you, I know you’re going to do great.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Ashton swallowed another lump in his throat and then cleared his throat as he watched her leave. His chest tightened because he knew this was the end, but he fought to not show it. Harry still had his head hidden in Ashton’s chest, and Lauren was still staring at the spot their mother had vacated. “Can you guys look at me?” Ashton requested, and Lauren blankly stared at him while Harry barely tilted his head up. “We’re going to be okay.”

“You’ve said that a lot today, Ashton,” Lauren snapped, standing suddenly, sending her chair sliding across the floor. The sudden sound made Harry jump, and Ashton’s arms tightened around him. “And for some reason, I’m starting to not believe you.” Then she stomped off, leaving Ashton to hang his head and whisper soothing nothings in his little brother’s ears until the little one stopped crying.


	2. Calum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all your awesome feedback! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this! Here's the next chapter. xx

“They did what?” Calum asked again. “They grounded your flight? But how are you going to get home?” he fretted.

“We can’t yet,” David replied gently. “Calum, it’s going to be fine.”

“Going to be fine?! Dad, you guys are stuck in America and I’m stuck here! Dad! Nothing is fine,” Calum took a deep breath. “People are getting sick and getting weird and I don’t like it and I don’t want to be alone. You guys have to come home.”

“We’re going to get home as soon as possible, Calum,” David promised his son. “We just need you to be strong little bit longer.”

“Yeah,” Calum frowned. “Yeah, I can do that.” He took a deep breath and looked out the window again. “It’s practically dead outside,” he mentioned to his dad.

“Really? It’s chaotic here,” David commented. Calum opened his mouth to reply, but then he heard muffled voices on the other end of the line. “Hold on, Cal, your mom wants to talk to you.”

“Oh. Okay. Bye, Dad,” Calum breathed, listening to the shuffling of the phone. “Mom?”

“Hi, baby boy,” Joy’s voice was smooth and gentle, like it always was, and it was already calming Calum down. “How are you doing?”

“Hi, Mom,” Calum murmured, moving to sit on the kitchen counter. “I’m…” he wanted to say okay, but he changed his mind. “I want you guys home.”

“I know, love. We’re going to come home as soon as we can, and you know that we want to be there.” Joy told her son.

“I know,” Calum murmured. “I really wish Mali’s shoot didn’t get extended,” he frowned. “Otherwise you guys would’ve been home by now.”

“Listen, Cal, there’s no need to get that way. You know none of us could have seen this coming,” Joy pointed out, and Calum nodded, knowing she was right. “Okay, my love, we’re going to go try to check back into our hotel, alright? We’ll call you if anything comes up.”

“Okay, Mom. I love you,” Calum looked around the empty house sadly. “I miss you.”

“Miss you too, sweet boy,” Joy smiled. “Be strong, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he frowned. “Always.” The nineteen year old hung up the phone and didn’t move from his spot on the counter, looking around the house sadly. His parents and Mali had been gone a little over a week now because his sister had a modeling shoot in Los Angeles and David and Joy had tagged along in hopes of having a small vacation. Calum had wanted to go with them as well, but he wasn’t able to get the week off from work.

So Calum had spent his week doing nothing but eating take out, watching movies, and driving into town to work at the recreation center. Calum spent most of his time at the recreation center coaching various football teams as well as doing equipment checks and repair.

Calum really did enjoy his job, because all he wanted to do as a career was play football, but a broken ankle in his last year of high school had benched him throughout scouting season. This led to Calum having to abandon his dream of being a professional football player, and he’d been struggling with that for the past year or so. He’d been depressed for quite some time, but he was finally in a better place and was enjoying where he was now.

But not _right now_ right now, of course. He was lonely. Aside from the people he’d seen at work and the various delivery people that had come to his front door, Calum hadn’t seen anyone considering the fact that the rest of his family was in America. All of his friends were away at school, and all of these things paired together just made for a sad Calum.

And on top of that, now he was worried. The news had been covering this mysterious flu for a few days now, and Calum felt a little more uneasy every time he saw another story. The night before he’d watched a story of a husband who attacked his wife after being afflicted with the illness and even getting shot in the stomach by police hadn’t slowed the guy down. The only thing that kept Calum from completely freaking out then was that his parents and sister would be home the next day – but now they weren’t coming home. Calum really didn’t know what to do except trek forward, so he finally pulled himself out of his pity party and headed into work.

If Calum had thought that work could offer a distraction, he was very wrong. The place was deserted. Once people had begun getting sick, Calum’s manager had trimmed the schedule to a skeleton crew, wanting to give as many people the option to avoid sickness as possible. But since Calum was alone and had nowhere to be anyway, he took the opportunity to gain a ton of hours on his paycheck.

But even in the past few days, a couple of kids were coming into the rec center after school let out, but today Calum was the only living soul in the center. He spent his time on the Internet, just wasting away the hours until six thirty came and Michelle showed up to take his spot. “Hey,” Calum smiled, nodding to her as he stood. “It’s deserted here. Today should be easy as pie,” he laughed.

“Good!” Michelle sighed. “I can get a ton of homework done. Hey, did your family get back okay?” she asked.

“They’re still in LA, actually,” Calum frowned, leaning against the counter. “Flights are grounded until they figure out this flu thing,” he shrugged. “So I get a couple more nights to myself,” he smiled tightly, hoping he didn’t show how upset he was at the fact.

“Cool, cool!” Michelle nodded. “Well, if you get bored, a few friends and I are going to go see the new Marvel movie after my shift. Text me if you want to join, one of us can swing by and pick you up.”

“Thanks, Michelle,” Calum smiled, stepping away. “I’ll do that.” He waved to her as he made his way outside, climbing into his car and turning up the radio as he drove toward his house. He was only a few moments into a song, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, when the music stopped and the grating siren of the emergency broadcast system interrupted the station.

“ _The Sydney Emergency Services have declared an official state of emergency. Citizens of the Sydney area have been informed that evacuation is suggested – and in some areas has been mandated. To find out if your area is under mandatory evacuation, please visit our website. Thank you._ ”

Just like that, the music was back and Calum was frowning, a cold sweat forming all over his body. It was like he just knew that his neighborhood was on the list. Because that’s the kind of luck he would have. But just to be sure, Calum pulled over onto the side of the road, grabbing his phone from his back pocket and typing in the website for the safety services. The website was slow, and Calum shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he waited.

Even though Calum had a gut feeling that his neighborhood was going to be on the website, that didn’t stop the wave of nausea from passing over him, and he found himself jerking open the door of his car and jumping out just in time to puke on the side of the road.

As he coughed and sputtered, wiping his hand on the back of his mouth, he cursed his luck. What was he supposed to do now? Calum looked around the empty road, breaths shallow and fast – he had no one to help him, no one to tell him where to go – Calum was truly on his own.

Calum felt clammy and like he couldn’t suck in enough air to fill his lungs, and couldn’t even imagine getting back in his car at the moment. So instead, he stopped and slumped against the hood of the car, hanging his head and just focusing on breathing in and out. It took a number of minutes for him to calm back down to where he could see straight, and then Calum just stared at the tree line in front of him, shaking his head. “How is this my life,” he mumbled to himself, wondering but not quite surprised.

Finally, Calum fell back into the driver’s seat of his car and headed the rest of the way home, mentally trying to figure out what to do. First things first, he decided, he needed to call his parents. So as he walked into his house, he dialed the familiar number. But instead of the call going through, Calum got only the busy dial tone. Feeling panic beginning to rise in his throat again, Calum continued to call in a steady pattern: Mom, Dad, Mali as he made his way through the house, packing clothes and food and other necessities.

By the time that Calum had deemed himself completely packed, he had yet to get in touch with his parents. Unsure of what to do, Calum sat on the couch, staring at his phone and the bags beside the door. He didn’t want to leave – he _couldn’t_ leave.

But that’s what mandatory meant.

“I’m a kid,” Calum mumbled to himself. “I can’t go out there,” he told himself before looking at his phone again. “Come on,” he groaned, calling the numbers again. But he got the same busy message, and it only confirmed his belief that a telephone line was down. As a last resort, he sent a text message to each number, and an email to every address he could think of for any of his family that all said the same thing.

_They made me evacuate. It was on the website and as I type this I can hear the police making their way down the street doing checks. I don’t know where I’m going to go, but I’m going to go wherever they say is safe. Please come home safe. I need you here. I have my phone, I’ll contact you when I can. Please come back to me. I love you. – Cal x_

Taking a deep breath, Calum stood and grabbed his bags, pocketing his phone before leaving the house. As he locked the front door, he turned and saw the police walking from the next door neighbor’s house toward him. Calum simply nodded, heading toward his car. “I’m going, I swear,” he said quickly, feeling as if his tongue was swelling and was too big to fit in his mouth.

“Is this your dog?” the cop asked suddenly, pointing to the bushes in front of Calum’s house. Calum’s eyebrows furrowed and he took a few steps, a small brown puppy coming into his line of vision.

“Oh my god,” Calum murmured, dropping his bag to the ground.

“Sir, is it or is it not your dog? If it’s not, I have to take it to the pound in case it’s infected,” the cop replied. Something about that made Calum’s stomach unsettle even more, so he nodded quickly.

“Yeah, that’s my puppy. We got him just a few days ago. I was just looking for him because I thought he got out of the back yard,” Calum smiled as innocently as possible as he picked up the small animal, curling it close to his chest. “Thank you sir.” The cop only nodded, then gestured to the house.

“Everyone out of the house?” he wondered.

“I’m the only one,” Calum told the cop sadly. “Well, me and this guy here.” The cop nodded slowly, gesturing to the house.

“Mind if I take a look?” he asked, and Calum shook his head, already reaching for his keys.

“Not a problem,” he stated, unlocking the door. After nodding his thanks, the police officer began to walk through the house, leaving Calum to stand in the living room with a armful of shivering puppy.

As Calum stood there, he decided he needed a blanket for the little guy, and he grabbed the throw blanket off the back of the couch, settling it over his free arm before grabbing the family picture off the wall as a last minute decision. The teen could hear the cop coming back down the stairs, so he grabbed his key to lock up. “Thank you, sir,” the cop nodded to him. “You be safe out there.”

“Thank you,” Calum replied kindly. “D-do you have any suggestions of where to go?” he wondered quietly. The cop stopped in his tracks.

“You don’t have anywhere to go?” he confirmed. “No plan?” Calum pursed his lips together and shook his head.

“The rest of my family is stuck in America,” he revealed. The cop nodded and placed a reassuring hand on Calum’s shoulder.

“Follow the highway markers they’ve put up, there’s shelters along the way. Maybe one will have room,” he stated. He sighed heavily. “Good luck, kid,” he said.

“Thanks,” Calum swallowed thickly. “I think I need it.”

“I think you do, too,” the officer replied before making his way to the next house over. Calum made his way to the car again, piling the throw blanket in his passenger seat before settling the puppy atop the blanket.

“What now, little guy?” Calum wondered quietly as he started the car, flicking the radio off. There was no need for him to listen to the emergency message again, he decided. “We have nowhere to go,” he repeated, backing out of the driveway and heading toward the highway. “I guess I need to give you a name, don’t I?” he wondered. “There’s no way I can leave you now,” he realized. “You and me, little one, we’re in for the long haul,” he groaned. “We’re going to beat this,” he said, unsure now if he was talking to himself or the dog currently curled up on the blanket. “Champ,” he realized. “You and me, we’re going to beat this,” he repeated. “So, I’ll call you Champ.”

And with that, Calum gripped the steering wheel tightly and joined the line of cars leaving the city. “We’re going to beat this.”


	3. Michael

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this! 
> 
> One more chapter of this story after this, then keep an eye out for the next story in this series! 
> 
> Much love xx

The past year had been tough for Michael and his mom. Even though his father had passed away almost two years ago, things weren’t getting any easier. The Clifford family just couldn’t catch a break, it seemed. Karen had lost her job a few weeks back and was struggling to find another one, and to make up for the lack of income, Michael was taking as many shifts at the music store as he could.

Michael loved his job, but working as much as he did for as little pay as he got was somewhat frustrating. The music store was never super busy, especially during the weekdays. So he spent his days surfing the web for other jobs or reading comic books. He tried not to complain though, because an income was an income regardless, and he needed that desperately.

For about a week now, the news had been covering this dumb flu that was sweeping the area. Everyone was overly cautious and trying not to get sick, but Michael wasn’t all that concerned. He didn’t interact with customers that often, and he’d always had a good immune system. Besides, the flu wasn’t in his area of the city yet as far as he could tell, so he really wasn’t worried.

When he came home late one evening, he found his mom finishing up dinner. “Hey, Mom,” he smiled, shrugging off his jacket and coming to stand beside her at the stove. “How did your interview go today? You didn’t call me like you said you would,” he complained playfully.

“Because…” Karen trailed off for a moment. “I wanted to tell you the good news in person!” she exclaimed, turning and hugging Michael tightly around the neck. “I got the job!”

“You got the job!” Michael cheered, hugging her as tightly as he dared. “Mom, that’s great! I want you to tell me everything!” He grabbed the bowl full of green beans and carried it to the table, and Karen followed with plates holding chicken before they sat down at the kitchen table. Michael couldn’t wipe the grin off of his face all throughout dinner, and Karen talked excitedly about the upcoming opportunities she would have working at the bank downtown.

“They said that in like three months I’ll be due a raise, but they’re already starting me off really well,” she said happily, and Michael shook his head with a smirk.

“Mom, that’s really great. I’m so happy for you. I told you your time would come!” he pointed his fork at her. “When do you start?”

“Monday,” she replied. “Once all the paperwork goes through.”  The two of them continued to chat, Michael frowning as he watched an ambulance whizz past their kitchen window, sirens blaring. “Wow,” Karen said. “Something must be wrong.”

Michael waved it off, but a police car came by a moment later, lights flashing brightly. “Stay here,” he told his mom firmly, standing. “I’ll go check it out.” His stomach clenched – he was only twenty, he shouldn’t be checking this stuff out. It should be his father. But his father was gone, he reminded himself, and headed to the front door. He had to protect his family.

Michael stepped out onto the front porch, glancing in the direction the emergency vehicles had been traveling. He could see the lights flashing and people moving about, but couldn’t tell what was going on. “Come close the door, Mom,” he called softly into the house. “I’m going to go check it out.”

Karen came to the door and watched as Michael headed across the yard, closing the door once he was out of sight. Michael swallowed thickly, nodding to his neighbor Alan as he approached the commotion. “What’s going on?” he wondered.

“Not sure. Kyle was sick with that flu and when Georgia came home she started screaming and came over to use my phone,” the man stated. “Something about Kyle being delirious and trying to attack her.”

“Oh my god,” Michael mumbled, a shiver running down his spine. “That’s fucked.”

“I know,” Alan replied before casting Michael a sideways glance. “You and your mother feeling alright?” he wondered.  

“We’re great. Mom found herself a job today,” Michael stated proudly before looking back at the house illuminated by emergency lights. “How long have they been inside?” he wondered.

“Not long. They – “ Alan’s statement was interrupted by the crack of a gunshot, and Michael and Alan both winced.

“Shit,” Michael whispered, eyes wide.

“Go home, kid,” Alan insisted, putting his hand on Michael’s shoulder and pushing him away. “Go home and I’ll come update you guys when I know more.” Michael nodded, silence stuck in his throat as he turned on his heels and ran inside.

“Michael? What’s going on?” Karen asked as soon as she saw her son. “You look like you just saw a ghost!”

“Apparently Kyle has that flu and tried to attack Georgia so she called the police and Alan and I heard gun shots and I don’t know what else,” Michael’s eyes were wide and he stared at his mom. “He said he’d come update us soon.” Michael’s shaky hand reached out to flip the lock on the front door and he let out a breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding. “So, dinner?” he asked weakly.

“Yeah,” Karen said gently, reaching out and squeezing her son’s hand. “Mikey, we’re going to be fine,” she promised.

“I know,” Michael forced a smile onto his face and led the way back into the kitchen. The sight of food made his stomach turn, and instead of eating, Michael pushed the food around on his plate and tried to take his mind off of what happened by talking to his mother about her new job.

Karen and her son had just finished clearing the table and making cups of tea when there was a knock on the door, and Michael went to answer it, leading Alan into the kitchen after a moment. “How are you, Karen? I heard you found yourself a good job! Congratulations,” Alan greeted, moving to hug the woman.

“Thank you, Alan. It’s truly great and I’m looking forward to it. How’ve you been?” she asked.

“I’m fine. A little shaken by tonight’s happenings. I trust that Michael filled you in?” Alan replied, accepting the offer of coffee from Michael. The boy turned toward their Keurig machine and started to make a cup of coffee while Karen nodded.

“He told me some. Do you know more?” she wondered. After a moment all three were settled around the kitchen table with mugs of steaming beverages as Alan filled in the blanks of the story.

“Kyle’s been sick a few days, but he convinced Georgia to go to work today. When she came back, she said he was just wandering the house making weird noises. When she asked if he was alright he never answered, but just began to follow her around the house like he was trying to attack her. So she came to me and called the cops,” Alan paused then and stared into his cup of coffee, then looked up. “Apparently he tried to attack the cops, too. They shot him in the stomach after he refused to get on the ground. It didn’t even affect him, I heard the cop saying. They managed to hit him on the head and it knocked him out, and they strapped him down and they’re on their way to the hospital now. They took Georgia too, just in case she’s caught the illness from Kyle.”

Michael felt sick to his stomach listening to the happening, and he swallowed thickly. “That’s awful,” he mumbled, pushing his drink away. He glanced over at his mom, who was pale. “Mom,” he whispered, reaching out to take her hand.

“I’m fine,” Karen promised, smiling blankly at him. “Thank you for updating us, Alan,” she said politely, and the man stood, grabbing his jacket.

“It’s alright,” he replied. “You two let me know if you need anything, you understand? Anything at all,” he looked to Michael. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Yes, sir,” Michael responded. He followed the man to the door and then locked it behind him. When he turned and saw his mom, he frowned. She looked so terrified, and it broke his heart. “Mom,” he said slowly, stepping toward her. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

“That happened two doors down,” Karen whispered, looking at Michael. “That could have been us.”

“Mom, stop that,” Michael said firmly. “Neither of us is sick and we’re going to be okay,” he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed firmly. “I’m going to make sure we’re okay.”

“Your dad would be proud of you,” Karen whispered, reaching up to pat Michael’s cheek.

“I hope so,” Michael replied, voice tight with emotion. “I’m trying my best.”

~*~*~

Early the next morning, Michael awoke to his alarm and got ready for work. To his surprise, his mother was already downstairs, sipping coffee when he made his way into the kitchen. “Mom?” he gasped. “What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Karen admitted. She stood and came to Michael, taking his hands. “Please don’t go to work, Mikey,” she begged. “I have a really bad feeling about you leaving. Please stay,” she repeated.

“Mom,” Michael told her gently. “Everything’s going to be okay. I have to go in today. I have to pick up my paycheck, at least. We have the light bill due Monday and I have to get the check cashed today if we want to pay,” he reminded her.

“Please, Michael,” Karen sounded so defeated, and Michael closed his eyes and sighed.

“Okay. I’ll go to get my check then come right back, sound good? I’ll be gone an hour tops,” he bargained.

“Alright,” Karen relented. “An hour.”

“An hour,” he repeated, reaching around his mom to grab his car keys. Then he hugged her tight and rested his chin atop her head for a moment. “Then I’ll be home and I promise everything will be okay.”

Michael hated leaving his mom at home, but he knew it was for the best. So he made his way into town and let himself into the music store, beginning the opening routine while he waited for Justin to arrive to work. Justin owned the music shop and was one of Michael’s closest friends, and Michael had spent a better part of the last two years venting to him about the various things he’d encountered after his father passed away. Michael was a little anxious for Justin to arrive, because he really needed to get the past twelve hours off his chest.

But when the jingle of the bell over the door chimed, Michael heard the obvious sounds of someone sniffling and coughing. “Justin?” Michael called. “That you?”

“Yeah, mate, it’s me,” Justin replied weakly. “I have your check. But you’ve got to man the store today,” he said. “I feel like shit. I’m sorry, man. I know today was your half.”

“Listen, Jay, I can’t stay,” Michael told him cautiously. “We’ve had some freaky shit going on in our neighborhood last night and my mom needs me home.” He rounded the corner and his stomach clenched when he saw how sick his friend looked.

Justin grumbled and handed Michael his paycheck but shrugged. “Honestly, man, I don’t care. I’ve just got to put these in my office and then we can lock up and go home. Not like many people will come in today anyway,” he coughed.

“Sounds good,” Michael agreed, shoving his paycheck in his pocket before beginning to turn off lights. As he made his way to the back room to double check the doors to the outside and make sure they were locked, his phone buzzed. Seeing his Mom’s name on the caller ID, he answered quickly. “Mom?” he asked, already turning on his heels to head to the front. “Is everything alright?”

“Michael!” Karen shrieked hysterically. “You’ve got to come home! Come now!”

“Mom!” Michael shouted into the phone, breaking into a run. “What’s going on?”

“The police just came by,” Karen cried. “They’re making us evacuate! If we’re not out within the hour they’re taking us away,” she gasped. Michael clenched his teeth and ripped his keys from his pockets, already jumping in his truck.

“Okay, Mom, listen to me,” Michael said, voice surprisingly even. “Pack a bag. I’ll be home in ten minutes and we’ll figure something out.”

“Please hurry,” she wept. “Michael, please come home.”

“I’m on my way,” he promised before ending the call. “Fuck me,” he mumbled as he raced down the road. “Fucking shit!” he shouted at the steering wheel. Oh, how he wished his dad was still here.

~*~*~

Michael jerked the steering wheel to the side and his tires squealed as he pulled into the driveway. He barely managed to throw the car in park and take his keys from the ignition before his mom appeared in the doorway, looking frenzied. “Michael!” she exclaimed.

“Mom!” he replied, running to her and hugging her before pulling away quickly. “Tell me everything,” he stated, slamming and locking the front door as he made his way upstairs to his room.

“They came by about fifteen minutes after you left,” Karen told her son, watching as he began to throw all sorts of clothes and other necessities into a duffel bag. “They told me the infection is spreading and our neighborhood isn’t safe anymore. We had to leave. If we don’t leave they’re going to take us away,” she wrung her hands together, grabbing a few pairs of jeans from Michael’s floor and handing them to the young man. “They didn’t say much else.”

“Fuck,” Michael grumbled, looking around the room. “Okay. Are you ready to go?”

“No,” she frowned, looking around. “I don’t think I can go, Michael. I can’t do this!”

“Yes you can, Mom. We can do this. We’re going to do it. Together. Listen to me, okay? Grab your bag and meet me in the kitchen. We need food,” he realized, then pushed his mom toward the door. “Let’s move.”

Karen disappeared into her room, and in her absence, Michael looked at the hallway lined with pictures and sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. _This isn’t fair_ , he thought. The boy allowed himself just a moment more of self pity before thundering down the stairs and going into the kitchen.

Michael was busy pulling various cans of food and bottles of water from the pantry and fridge when his mother appeared, and she silently began to put them all into an empty bag she’d found. When Michael moved to the knife drawer and began to pull them out, she looked up at her son with wide eyes. “What are these for?” she wondered.

“Just in case,” Michael replied tensely. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to be prepared.” He moved away from the drawer and began to shove things into his own bag, then headed to the front door. “Go get in the truck,” he told his mother. “I left my keys upstairs,” he mentioned.

Back upstairs, Michael swiped his keys off his desk and turned on his heel, though he stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of the photo frame on his bedside table. It was an old family photo of himself and both his parents. Michael was only about seven in the photo, and they were sitting on the sand at the beach, proudly displaying the sand castle they’d built. Slowly, Michael moved to pick it up, staring at it a moment before the sound of the car horn made him jolt back into action. Michael shoved the picture into his duffel and clamored down the stairs, taking the time to lock the doors before he jumped into the truck with his mom. He pulled out of the driveway and took off down the road, gritting his teeth at the sound of his mom crying.

“Where are we going, Michael?” she cried. “Where can we go?”

“We’re going to cash my paycheck, I’ll fill my gas tank, then we get the fuck outta Dodge,” he replied quickly. “Once we’re safe we’ll figure out a game plan,” he promised. His mother only continued to cry, and Michael reached over, his hand resting on his mom’s knee. “I’m going to make sure we’re alright, Mom,” he told her quietly. “I’m not going to stop until we’re safe.”

“The world’s falling apart, Michael,” Karen whispered, her head still buried in her hands. “The world is falling apart.”


	4. Luke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's the last chapter of this story! Keep an eye out for the next story in this series coming to you in a couple of days! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Tumblr and let me know what you think of this series so far! xx

Luke Hemmings never disobeyed the rules. At least not intentionally. Having just started university in the fall, the nineteen year old was constantly doing homework and leaving his dorm ten minutes early to make sure he was more than on time for his classes.

He was determined to do well in school, and was doing well thus far. As far as he could tell, most of his classmates weren’t taking the courses as seriously as he was – skipping classes and missing assignments. But he didn’t let that deter him.

But then the flu started going around and class size all over the campus shrunk as people either got sick or stayed inside in fear of getting sick. Luke trekked on though, going to his classes and pairing up with his roommate Ryan to go to the dining hall for every meal.

“I can’t wait until we can live in the apartments and make our own food,” Ryan grumbled, picking up his limp slice of pizza. “I can’t eat this crap too much longer.”

“Agreed,” Luke wrinkled his nose and looked around the sparsely populated lunch room. “So what do you make of this flu thing going around?” he asked.

“It’s not a flu,” Ryan said in a hushed tone, leaning forward over his plate of food. “It’s the apocalypse, Luke! The signs are all around us!”

Luke wanted to call bullshit on his roommate, but he felt tightness in his chest he couldn’t shake. “Really?”

“No, dumbass,” Ryan laughed, leaning back and shaking his head. “It’s just a flu and in two weeks everyone will be better,” the brunette scoffed and picked up his pizza. “Jesus, you’re gullible.”

“Screw you, Ryan,” Luke spat back in good spirits before flicking his straw wrapper at his friend. “You sounded so serious.”

“I’m a theater geek, remember? Acting is my forte,” Ryan wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Honestly, though, Luke. Just relax. This is just another one of those sicknesses that everyone will catch and be over soon enough. “Come on, let’s finish up so you can get to your next class. Ya know, Hemmo, it wouldn’t wreck you to skip a class. You could go to the lake with me and the other guys. We’d love to have you.”

“No thanks,” Luke replied kindly. “I want to save my skips for a day I need them. Like in case I get sick or something.”

“Suit yourself, nerd,” Ryan laughed teasingly, but in a nice way. “Who knows. Maybe you’ll get this flu and it’ll force you to cool your jets for a few days.”

“I hope not,” Luke mumbled as he gathered his things. “That sounds awful.”

~~~

Luke was afraid of getting sick, honestly. With his lack of sleep and need to run on coffee and vitamin tablets to make sure he was getting nutrients, he was surprised he didn’t get sick. But when he woke a few mornings later he felt perfectly fine, but it was immediately apparent that Ryan did not.

The boy was coughing and spitting up into a trash can near his bed, and even though the room was cold enough for Luke to need to stay wrapped in his blanket, Ryan was splayed out on his bed in no more than boxers, sweating so hard that there was just a pool beneath him on the sheets. “Holy hell, man,” Luke mumbled as he stood out of bed. “What happened to you?”

“I don’t know,” Ryan moaned. “I felt fine last night, if not just a bit stopped up. Now I feel like death reincarnated.”

“What do you need for me to do?” Luke wondered, moving to his closet to pull on a shirt and pants. “I have about an hour before classes if you need me to get you something.”

“Can you turn the A/C up? I know I turned it up a lot last night and I’m sorry, but I feel like I’m roasting to death,” Ryan sounded so pitiful, and Luke nodded, turning to the thermostat.

“Have you made a doctor’s appointment yet? Or do you need me to take you to the hospital?” Luke wondered. Ryan shook his head adamantly before leaning over his bed to spit into his trash can once more.

“I’m fine, Hemmo. Don’t worry about it,” he rasped. “I’ll sweat this fever out in the next day or so and be good as gold,” Ryan gave a weary thumbs up to Luke, who nodded, though he didn’t believe him.

At Ryan’s insistence, Luke got ready for classes. “Listen, if I’m not any better by the end of your classes, you can take me to the emergency room, deal?” It was only with that agreement that Luke gathered his bag and made his way across campus, only to find a note taped to the door stating that class was canceled for the day. Considering that Luke had the same teacher for all three of his classes that day, he turned on his heel and started heading back to his dorm.

In his back pocket he felt his phone vibrating, and he pulled it out to see his mom calling. Luke frowned in concern – she knew he was supposed to be in class! “Hey, Mom. What’s up?” Luke answered, stopping to sit on a bench outside.

“Oh, good,” Liz gasped. “I’m so glad I caught you.”

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Luke’s face furrowed as he heard how concerned she sounded. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t want to explain a lot right now. But Ben and Jack are on their way to come get you. You’re coming home until all this is figured out.” Luke glanced around him to make sure that this wasn’t some kind of joke. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary or out of place – it just seemed like a Wednesday morning.

“All of what?” Luke wondered. “I can’t just drop classes and come home, Mom.”

“You will do as I say,” Liz told him firmly. “Luke, I’m not giving you a choice.”

“Mom, that’s honestly just not an option. Besides, I can’t leave, Ryan’s sick!” Luke tugged at his hair and tried to calm his quick-beating heart. Why was his mom so anxious to have him home suddenly?

“Sick?!” Liz’s voice had jumped a few octaves, and Luke sighed.

“Yeah, Mom. He’s got the flu. I told him I’d – “ he had more to say, but his mother interrupted him in the most stern voice he’d ever heard.

“Luke. Pack a bag. Get out. Now.” It was then that the anxiety Luke was feeling blossomed into full blown fear.

“Okay,” he relented weakly. “I’ll tell him I’m coming home.”

“Good. Once you pack you leave, you wait somewhere else for your brothers. Understand me, Luke?” she asked, and Luke nodded before remembering he couldn’t be seen.

“I understand, Mom,” he repeated.

“Good. I love you, Baby boy,” she told him softly.

“I love you too, Mom,” he murmured before hanging up and slowly making his way back to the dorm. Suddenly Luke didn’t know what he was feeling – all he knew was that he had to put one foot in front of another and get into his room. He ascended the stairs to his building with shaky legs, and he entered the room, gasping at the sight.

Ryan was laying in bed, not having moved since Luke had left. But instead of looking better, like Luke had hoped, or even looking the same, Ryan looked terrible. Any color that had been on his skin was gone, he was still sweating bullets, and he barely had the energy to move his head over the edge of the bed to cough up gunk into the trash can. “Jesus Christ, is it already four?” Ryan mumbled. “I coulda sworn you just left.”

“My classes got canceled and apparently my family’s on their way to pick me up. Some kind of family thing,” Luke shrugged. “Dude, I was only gone like fifteen minutes. You look horrid.”

“Thanks,” Ryan quipped weakly, managing to lift his middle finger to Luke for a moment as the blonde began to pack a bag. “What kind of family thing?” he wondered.

“I don’t know. My mom’s being really secretive about it,” Luke shrugged. “Listen, are you sure you’re okay?” he called as he went into the bathroom to gather the necessities like a toothbrush and his razor. “I can see if my brothers will drop you by the E.R.”

“No, don’t worry about it,” Ryan promised. “I’m alright. If it gets too bad I can call the dorm supervisor and he can deal with me,” he chuckled. Luke smiled weakly and nodded, laughing along with Ryan.

“Fine. Well, anything I can do now?” he wondered as he grabbed a few pairs of jeans and shoved them into the quickly swelling bag. Hell, Luke didn’t know what he was packing for, so he was just shoving things into a bag so they fit.

“If you could bring me some water, that’d be much appreciated,” Ryan murmured, closing his eyes. Luke nodded and gathered a few bottles of water from his roommate’s mini-fridge and dropped them on his bedside table.

“Listen, man, I’m really sorry I’m leaving when you’re so sick. I would’ve stayed, but my mom is just being weird,” he frowned.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We’re in college. I can take care of myself,” Ryan croaked. “Go have fun with your family. They here already?”

Luke wanted to say no, wanted to stay and take care of Ryan as long as he could. But something in his gut told him to leave, so he nodded. “Yeah, got a text a moment ago that they’re here,” he said. He pocketed his phone and picked up his duffel bag, his backpack, a pillow, and a jacket before nodding to Ryan. “I’ll see you soon. Get to feeling better, man.”

“Take care of yourself, Hemmo,” Ryan told him, then leaned over the edge of the bed again. Luke clutched the strap of his duffel in his hand as he made his way down the hall, the sound of Ryan retching in their room growing fainter and fainter until he was in the stairwell and couldn’t hear it at all.

~~~

It took another half hour or so for Luke’s brothers to show up, and Luke sighed with relief when he saw Ben’s SUV pull into the dorm parking lot. Luke stood and made his way to the curb, throwing his things into the trunk before jumping in the backseat and leaning forward. “What in the hell is going on?”

“Well, hi to you too,” Jack scoffed, turning to look at his brother. “How are you feeling?” he wondered.

“I’m fine. Unlike my roommate. Now, tell me what’s going on! Why is Mom acting so weird?” Luke asked again. Jack turned and looked at his older brother, who sighed and began to drive.

“Buckle up, Luke,” Ben said lowly. “We’re going home.”

“But _why_?” Luke all but shrieked, slamming his fist on the seat. “Someone needs to start talking!”

“Listen,” Jack replied, turning in his seat so he could look at Luke. “Just trust us, please?” Jack’s voice was uncharacteristically weak, and Luke felt all the fight leave his body. He just nodded and slumped into the seat, buckling his seat belt as he watched the scenery of his university campus streak by his window. “Thank you,” Jack sighed.

The radio wasn’t on, Luke realized. “Why aren’t we listening to music?” he wondered out loud, and Ben’s shoulders tightened.

“Radio’s broken,” he said sharply, and Luke frowned.

“What crawled up your butt and died?” he spat, and Ben slammed his hand against the dash board.

“For Christ’s sake, Luke! Shut up and just sit quietly! Today’s already bad enough!” Ben shouted, and Luke’s hair stood on end on his arms and neck.

“Sorry,” he whispered, slumping down in his seat. Ben glanced back at the youngest Hemmings child and felt sympathy tugging at his chest.

“Hey,” Jack called out softly, and Luke glanced up a bit. “You look tired. Sleep a little bit and then we’ll explain, alright? We’ve got a couple hours before we’re home.”

“I’m not tired,” Luke grumbled, though he positioned his pillow behind his head and stretched out in the seat. “I’m confused.”

“It’s a weird situation,” Jack agreed, nodding. “I know you don’t know a lot. But when we get home, I promise we’ll all explain it.”

“Whatever you say,” Luke mumbled, shutting his eyes. “It better be good.”

~~~

By some miracle, Luke managed to fall asleep in the backseat of his brother’s car, sleeping away the day without even realizing it. When he awoke, it was to a setting sun and the quiet hum of the radio. He breathed in deep as he sat up, looking around in confusion. “Hey, guys?” Luke called o the front cautiously.

“Hey,” Jack looked in the rear view mirror as he was now driving. “You’re awake.”

“I thought we were going home?” Luke responded uneasily. “We should’ve been there a long time ago.”  

“We can’t go home, Luke.” Ben spoke up flatly from the other seat. Luke’s blood ran cold and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not safe.” Ben told Luke, and the youngest opened his mouth to protest, but Jack held up one finger and turned up the radio to listen to the emergency broadcast. Luke tried to say ‘I thought the radio was broken?’ but nothing came out as he listened to the calm, even voice on the radio reporting all the violence currently taking place in Sydney, right around their house.

“What if – “ Jack spoke up when the broadcast ended, and Ben snapped his head to the side to look at his little brother.

“Shut up. They were on their way out of town hours ago. They’ll meet us there,” Ben insisted.

“Mom and Dad?” Luke wondered, and Ben nodded curtly. “Okay, then tell me what’s going on. Please!” he begged.

“It’s going to be alright,” Ben told the youngest boy, but Luke shook his head. 

“Stop talking like I’m a damn child! Tell me what’s going on!” He was angry, and both of Luke’s older brothers knew it too.

“Maybe we should,” Jack murmured, and Ben shook his head.

“No, we wait until we meet up with Mom and Dad. They wanted to tell him,” Ben insisted.

“Tell me what?” Luke cried out, grabbing his brother’s shoulder. Jack glanced in the rearview mirror again and sighed.

“We think this flu is killing people and bringing them back to life.”

And Luke didn’t remember much after that, except the strong smell of vomit and the fact that his mouth tasted weird.

“Way to fucking go, Jack,” Ben grumbled. “So much for not scaring him.”


End file.
